Eco-Seis

Eco-Seis is a methodology to greatly reduce line clearing on seismic programs, potentially resulting in: (1) 30-50% reduction in tree cutting, and accompanying GHG emission, (2) protection of sensitive habitats by avoiding and/or limiting access to sensitive, biodiverse areas, and (3) policy development guidelines for achieving high quality subsurface seismic images while maintaining biodiversity and protecting sensitive habitats. It combines new minimal impact seismic sources with a sparse distribution of conventional sources, then applies sources in a geometry focused on minimizing disturbances while providing high quality data and safe access for field personnel. It will work with geometry variations and multiple source types. Key project goals: (1) develop easy-to-implement solution for reducing environmental impact of seismic acquisition in sensitive environments, (2) create two algorithms to solve the problems associated with utilizing smaller, minimal impact seismic sources and minimizing the amount of line clearing by utilizing an irregular geometry, and (3) validate algorithms through processing trials using synthetic and real-world data.

The project was more successful than expected, with methodologies developed that can reduce linear km of seismic cut-lines by up to 51%, hectares cut by up to 40-62% (depending on equipment) and based on preliminary calculations (to be verified in follow-up field test) up to a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The validation test showed some miniaturized sources can provide sufficient data quality for near-surface imaging. Further research is needed to verify use for deeper targets and develop combined methods to obtain environmental benefits without compromising subsurface image quality. Processing tests were successful, with multiple geometries validated. Learnings included determining trace density limitations for applying interpolation in processing. EcoSeis geometries may provide better interpolation results than traditional methods across caps caused by surface exclusions like pipelines and waterways, which could reduce cost of acquiring seismic data in those areas. Overall, this technology will help reduce carbon footprint and environmental impacts of acquiring seismic programs while also reducing costs.